Michael Strahan slams ‘Bachelor’ host Chris Harrison for his ‘surface’ response to racism scandal
After interviewing Chris Harrison about the 'Bachelor' racism scandal, Strahan was left underwhelmed by his response
This week Good Morning America host Michael Strahan called out The Bachelor host Chris Harrison for issuing what he believes to be a lackluster – and perhaps even insincere – apology for his part in the show’s current racism scandal.
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Previously Harrison faced backlash after defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s choice to attend an ‘Old South’, plantation-themed party in 2018. What was most ironic is that he made the tone-deaf remarks during an interview on Feb. 10 with Rachel Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette.
“Is it a good look in 2018 or is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference…. the woke police are out there. They are ripping this poor girl’s life apart.”
Not surprisingly, Harrison was dragged on social media for telling a Black woman that a white woman needed to be shown “grace” in response to her racial insensitivities. In response to the public outrage, he took an indefinite leave of absence from the show and issued a public apology.
But when the reality TV host appeared on GMA Thursday to speak to Strahan, directly apologize to Lindsay for being ‘insensitive’ and announce that he would be returning to the show to “be part of the change” – Strahan could not hide his disdain for what he believes was a “surface” level attempt at damage control.
“His apology is his apology but it felt like I got nothing more than a surface response – obviously, he’s a man who clearly wants to stay on the show,” a visibly skeptical Strahan told his co-hosts after the interview had concluded.
“Time will tell if there’s any meaning behind his words.”
It’s worth noting that Good Morning America and The Bachelor are both ABC shows and so some were taken aback by the morning show host’s candor about his colleague.
“It was a mistake. I made a mistake. I am an imperfect man,” Harrison said during the interview. “I made a mistake and I own that. I believe that mistake doesn’t reflect who I am or what I stand for. I am committed to the progress not just for myself, also for the franchise.”
“I plan to be back and I want to be back,” Harrison said of his desire to return to his $8M hosting job. “This interview is not the finish line. There is much more work to be done. I am excited to be part of that change.”
While Harrison’s sincerity may be in question, after Lindsay deleted her Instagram account due to harassment from fans of The Bachelor, the popular reality show’s producers stepped up to defend her, acknowledging that the badgering is “rooted in racism.”
A statement posted to the official ‘Bachelor Nation’ Twitter account reads: “As Executive Producers of The Bachelor Franchise we would like to make it perfectly clear that any harassment directed towards Rachel Lindsay in the aftermath of her interview with Chris Harrison is completely inexcusable. Rachel has received an unimaginable amount of hate and has been subjected to severe online bullying, which, more often than not, has been rooted in racism. That is totally unacceptable.”
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They also expressed gratitude for Lindsay’s work “tirelessly towards racial equity and inclusion.”
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